Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
BROOKLINE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The NBA Finals may be in full swing here in Boston, but over in Brookline, Mass., there is another sport that is getting its share of attention too: Gaelic football.
A group of student athletes from Queen’s University Belfast are on their last leg of a ten-day tour in the U.S. The Gaelic Football tour was designed to be a learning experience- not just for the students to improve their game, but also for Americans and Bostonians to be exposed to the sport by watching the game up close.
“We spent five days in New York, and now we’ve landed on northeastern soil for the next five days and we’re playing against a Boston team on Saturday at the Irish Cultural Center so, we’re looking forward to that,” said Karl Oakes, Queen’s University Belfast Head of Sport and Physical Wellbeing.
Oakes and Queen’s University Belfast Men’s Head Coach Conor Deegan said their visit to Boston was perfectly timed with the NBA Finals.
“If [the Celtics] can win [Friday’s game], these players will be a bit crazy for the weekend, which will be an incredible experience for these kids to see,” Deegan said.
Sarah Marley coaches the women’s Gaelic football team.
“Our players have been training really hard, and I think it’s good to show the level that they’re at hopefully, in two very competitive games,” Marley said.
Both teams will play on Saturday in Canton, Mass. at the Irish Cultural Center against the Boston Select and USA GAA.
WBZ NewsRadio’s James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.
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